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Peptide profile · Synthetic gastric-derived pentadecapeptide

BPC-157

Also known as: Body Protection Compound 157, PL 14736, Pentadecapeptide BPC 157, BPC157

A synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide with a large animal literature on tendon, muscle and gut healing, almost no controlled human data, and no FDA approval.

Preclinical evidenceNot FDA-approved
Abstract peptide-chain illustration for the BPC-157 profile

Evidence level

Preclinical

Hundreds of rodent studies report faster healing across many injury models. Human evidence is limited to a small pharmacokinetic/safety dataset and uncontrolled case series; there is no randomised controlled trial of efficacy in people.

Regulatory status (US)

Not FDA-approved

Not approved by the FDA for any use. Placed in category 2 of the 503A/503B interim compounding policies on 29 September 2023; as of the FDA list current 22 April 2026 it appears among substances previously in category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn by the nominators. Withdrawal is not a safety clearance and does not make it eligible for compounding. Prohibited in sport by WADA (S0).

Mechanism (proposed)

In animal and cell studies BPC-157 is reported to promote angiogenesis (via VEGFR2 and nitric-oxide pathways), modulate growth-factor signalling, and protect against injury in gut, tendon, ligament and muscle models. None of these mechanisms has been confirmed in controlled human studies.

Studied for: Tendon and ligament healing (animal), Muscle injury (animal), Gastric and intestinal lesions (animal), Wound healing (animal)

Full research analysis

BPC-157: Human Evidence, Animal Research, and Open Questions

BPC-157 has hundreds of positive animal studies and almost no controlled human data. We separate what the rat research shows, what the few human reports show, what the FDA has said, and what would have to happen for the evidence grade to change.

Read the analysis

What BPC-157 is

BPC-157 is a synthetic peptide of 15 amino acids, described by its developers as a fragment of a protein found in human gastric juice. It has been studied since the early 1990s, overwhelmingly by a single research group at the University of Zagreb, in a remarkable range of animal injury models: transected tendons and ligaments, crushed muscle, gastric ulcers, colitis, vascular occlusion, and more.

Where the evidence stands

The animal literature is large and consistently positive, which is part of what makes it hard to interpret: positive results concentrated in one laboratory, with limited independent replication, are a known warning sign in preclinical research. Independent groups have reproduced some findings — for example tendon-cell effects in culture[1] — and reviewers have called for human trials for a decade[2].

Human evidence remains close to zero. There is no randomised controlled trial. The full analysis walks through what the animal studies actually measured, what the few human reports show, and what would have to happen for the grade to change.

Regulatory position

BPC-157 is not FDA-approved. In September 2023 the FDA placed it in category 2 of its compounding interim policies — substances the agency judges may present significant safety risks — citing possible immunogenicity for certain routes, peptide-impurity and characterisation complexities, and no or only limited safety data. On the list current at 22 April 2026 it appears instead among substances previously in category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn by the nominators[3]. That withdrawal is a procedural change, not a safety clearance, and it does not place BPC-157 on the 503A bulks list. It is prohibited in sport[4]. Products sold online "for research" are unapproved drugs of unverified content.

Safety summary

One small published human study reported no serious adverse events over a short period. Long-term human safety, drug interactions and effects of chronic use are unknown. Animal data raise theoretical questions about pro-angiogenic activity in the presence of tumours; these have not been studied in people. Products sold as BPC-157 are unregulated and may be mislabelled or contaminated.

Frequently asked questions

Is BPC-157 FDA-approved?
No. It has never been approved for any use. FDA placed it in category 2 of the compounding interim policies in September 2023 over immunogenicity and impurity concerns; the nomination was later withdrawn by the nominator, which removes it from that list without making it eligible for compounding.
Has BPC-157 been tested in humans?
Barely. There is a small published safety and pharmacokinetic dataset and some uncontrolled case reports, but no randomised, placebo-controlled trial of efficacy. Almost everything cited about BPC-157 comes from rat studies.
Does BPC-157 heal tendons?
In rats, multiple studies report faster tendon and ligament healing. Whether it does so in humans has not been tested in a controlled trial, so the honest answer is "unknown".
Is BPC-157 banned in sport?
Yes. WADA prohibits it at all times under S0, non-approved substances.

References

Numbered in order of first use. Study type is shown for every source; see our methodology for how we rank evidence.

  1. 1.

    Chang CH, Tsai WC, Lin MS, Hsu YH, Pang JH. The promoting effect of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on tendon healing involves tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration Journal of Applied Physiology, 2011.

    PreclinicalRat Achilles tendon explants and cultured tendon fibroblasts

    Result: BPC-157 increased tendon fibroblast outgrowth, survival and migration in culture.

    Limitations: Cell and animal study; no human relevance established.

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  2. 2.

    Gwyer D, Wragg NM, Wilson SL. Gastric pentadecapeptide body protection compound BPC 157 and its role in accelerating musculoskeletal soft tissue healing Cell and Tissue Research, 2019.

    Review

    Result: Summarises rodent evidence for tendon, ligament and muscle healing; concludes human trials are needed.

    Limitations: Reviews animal data only; notes concentration of studies in one research group.

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  3. 3.

    Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (category 2 list) U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026.

    Regulatory source

    Result: BPC-157 was placed in category 2 on 29 September 2023 and now appears on the list of substances previously in category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn by the nominators. FDA cited immunogenicity risk for certain routes, peptide-impurity and API-characterisation complexities, and no or limited safety data.

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  4. 4.

    The Prohibited List World Anti-Doping Agency, 2026.

    Regulatory source

    Result: BPC-157 falls under S0 (non-approved substances), prohibited at all times.

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Review status: Editorially reviewed against primary sources. This article was fact-checked against the primary sources listed in the references by our editorial team, and it has not been reviewed by a licensed clinician. It is educational content, not medical advice. Read our editorial policy and methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Profile by Tristen Ta. Published August 15, 2026; updated August 15, 2026.

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